1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to blood collection bag support systems and, more particularly, to apparatus for supporting a blood collection bag within a centrifuge cup.
2. Description of Prior Art
Blood collection bags of a certain size, shape and configuration have been employed by blood collection centers, hospitals and other medical facilities for decades to collect and store blood and components thereof. Typically, whole blood within a blood collection bag is centrifuged to separate the plasma, platelets, red blood cells and white blood cells. Industry standard centrifuges for this purpose include a plurality of cups for receiving and containing the blood collection bags during the centrifugation process.
During centrifugation of the blood collection bags, it is important that the blood collection bag and components associated therewith not be creased, folded or otherwise be configured to permit retention of a quantity of blood apart from the main body of blood. If such retention occurs, contamination of the separated blood components subsequent to centrifugation by mixing with the segregated quantity of whole blood could occur. It is therefore important to mount the blood collection bag within the centrifuge cup in such a manner that physical segregation of a quantity of blood within folded parts of a blood bag not occur. In the above identified related application and patent, apparatus supported by a centrifuge cup suspends a blood collection bag therefrom. Preformed apertures located at the upper end of the conventional blood collection bag and peripheral to the envelope portion containing the blood to be centrifuged are penetrably engaged by the apparatus. Such suspension discourages creasing or folding of the blood collection bag and segregated retention of a quantity of whole blood is prevented.